VIDEO: Virginia Tech's J.C. Coleman talks about getting back on practice field

Coleman on footwork did in practice Tuesday, but wasn't able to do previous two weeks

Coleman on footwork did in practice Tuesday, but wasn't able to do previous two weeks

Nobody told J.C. Coleman he needed to get on the practice field Tuesday or forever hold his peace about playing Saturday against No. 1 Alabama. Still, he knew there wasn’t much time to show coaches his ankles were feeling better.

Coleman, who is recovering from a high left ankle sprain and a regular sprain in his right ankle, was able to practice in full pads Tuesday with his Virginia Tech teammates. He said he was able to do footwork drills he was unable to do in the previous two weeks, participated in quarterback-running back exchange drills and got back to running with natural form.

“I’m feeling real good,” Coleman said. “My ankle is feeling good. It’s just a matter of trying to get back as close to 100 percent as I can.”

Though Coleman may feel OK, Tech has a contingency plan in place in case Coleman isn’t ready to go in Atlanta. It was already a forgone conclusion redshirt freshman running back Trey Edmunds would receive the bulk of the work against Alabama, but if Coleman isn’t ready, redshirt freshman Chris Mangus will be Edmunds’ primary backup. Freshman Jerome Wright could also get some work.

“He looked better,” said running backs coach Shane Beamer after Tuesday’s practice regarding Coleman’s status. “I’ll be honest with you, about 12 noon (Tuesday), I didn’t think there was any chance he was going to play (against Alabama). After watching him out there (at Tuesday’s practice), I thought he did a good job.

“The thing you worry about is he hasn’t practiced in two weeks. This isn’t somebody you just want to throw out there when he hasn’t practiced in two weeks. There’s a lot that we’ve added offensively. He’s been in meetings. He knows it, but he hasn’t (practiced) some of the stuff that we’ve been doing.”

Beyond Coleman, Tech obviously doesn’t have any experience in the backfield. Mangus may have been taking snaps just two weeks ago as a wide receiver, but he’s going to have to be prepared to get some carries against Alabama’s massive defense.

“I think he’s going to have to take a series,” Beamer said. “I don’t think it’s realistic against (Alabama), or any game, to ask Trey Edmunds to take the entire game. We’ll have packages where Mangus will have to get in the game, or Mangus and maybe two tailbacks or three tailbacks or whatever. They could all be in the game at the same time. Who knows what we do?...We’re not going to throw (Edmunds) out there for 70 plays (against Alabama), if we’re fortunate to have that many.”

Coleman doesn’t have much time on the practice field under his belt heading into the season-opener, but he’s still put in his work in the film room. What has he seen? Massive dudes.

“When I’m watching the film, I just see a lot of huge guys, a lot of big guys,” Coleman said. “That’s one thing that really stands out about their defense. Their front seven is pretty huge, way bigger than what we’re seeing from the SEC. I’m surprised they’re linebackers.”

Alabama, which runs out of a base 3-4, but often comes out of a 4-3, has defensive linemen and linebackers that seem to have been dropped straight off a National Football League roster into Tuscaloosa, Ala. when it comes to physical presence.

Stinson and all the linebackers are returning starters from a defense that led the nation last season in rushing defense (gave up an average of 76.4 yards per game; third-lowest average surrendered by any team in the last four seasons).

“Jack Tyler is a heck of a football player, but Jack Tyler is not 240 pounds like their two inside linebackers are that are 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3,” said Beamer of the 6-1, 230-pound Tyler. “It’s just they’re really well-coached. They’re really good fundamentally…You see them getting off blocks. They don’t stay blocked. They tackle well. You don’t see them missing tackles.”

As Coleman works his way back into shape, Tech defensive backs coach Torrian Gray is also hoping to get encouraging news about strong safety Kyshoen Jarrett as the week progresses.

Jarrett, whose injury wasn’t specified by Gray, practiced Tuesday in a blue jersey indicating limited participation and no contact. Gray said Jarrett worked with the scout team, but Gray anticipates Jarrett will be ready for the Alabama game if he doesn’t have any setbacks.

Wide receiver D.J. Coles’ chronically balky knee appears to be coming around at just the right time. Tech coach Frank Beamer indicated the 6-4, 234-pound Coles had his best scrimmage of the preseason this past Saturday. While the depth chart cranked out by Tech on Tuesday indicated Joshua Stanford was ahead of Coles, Frank said it was incorrect. Coles is ahead of Stanford.

“These past couple practices, I’ve felt like I’ve been getting back to my old self,” Coles said. “My legs are coming back, and my knee is feeling great. I think I’m going to be 100 percent by the time game time comes around Saturday, and I feel like I’m going to be ready to go.”